


Dance baby, dance baby

by thebirdsandtheboxes



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Dance party at the archives, Dancing, Gen, Season 1, Season 2, Season 3, There's also bickering before hand, They deserve a break, They're just vibing for the duration of a song, This goes through the seasons, safe house, season 4, season 5, this is entirely self endulgent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-25
Updated: 2020-09-05
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:08:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,681
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26103193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thebirdsandtheboxes/pseuds/thebirdsandtheboxes
Summary: The Archive crew is having a dance party.There's not really much else going on.
Relationships: Martin Blackwood/Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist
Comments: 24
Kudos: 41





	1. Season one, dance party the first.

Light trumpets and a steady bass rhythm were filling the break room in the Magnus Archives. Drums joined the music and then Frankie Valli sang in a smooth voice 'You're just too good to be true'. 

Tim took Sasha's hand in his, which she had offered him for a dance. They assumed their position, mimicking ballroom dancing posture and swayed in tune with the music. With each note they got more used to moving their bodies together with each other and the music and soon they were dancing fully dedicated. There was no technique behind the feathery movements of their feet but that didn't matter because nothing could have made this better. 

Sasha twirled Tim away from her and back into her arms and Tim followed her guidance obediently and with bright laughter. 

The first verse was just finishing up when Martin came into the break room. He hadn't even heard the music before he'd entered. As soon as the two dancers saw Martin they separated to both simultaneously stretch their arms out to him. 

"Dance with us Martin!" Sasha said. 

"You're just in time for the best part" Tim said and held his arms in front of him in anticipation. 

Martin was confused and then unsure. He was not really a dancer. But then the music swelled. The light swaying music made way for big trumpets and faster drums. And he was pulled in by his two friends. And eight measures later all three of them were singing along at the top of their lungs. 

'I love you baby' they were now jumping almost more than they were dancing. Moving together with the rhythm of the music.

"Trust in me when I say" they sang and Tim added a more shouted then sung "Jon!"

"What is going on here?" The addressed man said. He had heard the uncommon level of noise from the break room and gone to check on his staff. He regretted that decision immediately when his friends pulled him in to join their jumping. 

"We're dancing!" Sasha yelled. Jon tried his very best to get out of the former break room now dance floor, or at least not join in with the dancing. 

He did not succeed because Tim took his hand in his and put the other one Jon's waist. Then he guided Jon, a bit gentler than he'd expected, through the rest of the chorus and into the second verse. Tim danced with Jon around the room, twirling the two of them around Martin and Sasha who were still dancing together, if not as traditionally or close as the other two, but enthusiastically and with conviction. 

And despite himself Jon was having fun. At the arm of his friend and to the sound of love. 

That was until Tim dipped Jon. Jon yelped and dug his nails into Tim's arms, who let out a heartily laugh. He pulled Jon up to his chest again and Jon glared at him. He tried to compose himself and peel his fingernails out of Tim’s arms.

Sasha came to Jon's rescue laughing at the two of them but taking over leading Jon while the chorus swelled again. Tim still laughed as Sasha pried a shell shocked and grumpy Jon from his arms. 

"Fine, fine, steal my man from me." he said and left the two of them. He went for a dance battle with Martin instead. He did not really get him to comit, Martin wasn't particularly competitive when it came to dancing but he did get some good dance moves out of the man.

Meanwhile Sasha lead Jon into a not entirely music appropriate slow dance. Her hands on his hips, his wrapped around her neck. He was looking down at his feet, as if he could in the slow swaying still manage to step on Sasha's feet. 

The four of them moved more or less in unison for the remaining minute. As soon as the music faded, and Sasha let go of him, Jon fled back to his office, but not before telling them to get back to work, with a glare that just didn't really hit.

"Sure thing, boss." Tim said with a mischievous smile. He had seen that JOn had enjoyed himself. He considered teasing him about it, but Jon was already out of the room.

"That was wonderful" Sasha exclaimed. "We should do that more often."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for indulging me and reading this first chapter of my dance party collection. 
> 
> The song is 'Cant Take My Eyes Off You' by Frankie Valli and The 4 Seasons. It's a banger.


	2. Season two, Dance Party Truce

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are tense in the Archives of the Magnus Institute. 
> 
> But that's nothing a little dancing can't fix, right?

Jon stepped into the break room. Not only was this an uncommon occurrence it was also an unfortunate time. Usually he would try to take his lunch breaks when nobody was there. He didn't cut them completely, contrary to what his co-workers thought. And it shouldn't have been an unfortunate time. The break room was usually empty so late in the afternoon. 

But still he had managed to enter right at the moment when all three of his Archival Assistants were currently gathered in the room.

The three of them looked up at the door and with that up at Jon. Tim's demeanour darkened immediately. Sasha looked annoyed. And Martin felt like he stood between the lines.

Jon was about to just turn around and leave again when Tim said "Oh don't let us bother you, you can have your lunch, unless of course you think we poisoned all the food in this room."

Jon looked at Tim with a blank expression. Martin had always envied him that trait. Not letting any of his emotions show on his face.

"I'll come back later." Jon said and was turning around.

"I can't believe you, you won't even eat with us in the room!" Tim said.

“What do you want me to do Tim, eat my lunch while my employees stare daggers at me?” Jon asked. Annoyance bled out of his voice.

“We wouldn’t treat like that if you didn’t act like an absolute maniac all the time.” Tim said.

Martin was sort of unsure about what came over him when he said: "That's enough! I call a truce. Like in the old days." It felt weird saying that it had barely been a year "Archives dance party. That way you can all express your emotions without constantly yelling at each other."

Six eyes were fixed on him. Martin was most definitely getting red in the face.

"Fine" Tim said, "One song truce."

Sasha shrugged. Jon looked blankly back at them. But he didn't leave and he didn't say no.

Trying to be more confident than he felt, Martin got up took his phone out, put on a song and laid it on the kitchen counter, speaker up.

A sound like someone running a stick up an electronic xylophone echoed through the room, followed by the start of energetic percussions.

Tim looked at Martin "Carly Rae Jepsen?" he asked one brow raised just the slightest.

"What's wrong with Carly Rae Jepsen?" Martin said frowning at Tim

"Nothing." He got up followed by Sasha, "Let's do this"

"I’ve been denying how I feel" Carly sang and Tim shamelessly started dancing. Another quality Martin would like to have, Tim's ability to just not give a fuck.

Tim looked at him expectantly and he murmured a "Right" before slowly starting to move to the music. He made a point to not look at Jon, he was sure if he did he'd die of embarrassment. 

Sasha moved as well, but it didn't seem like she was moving particularly well to the music. Her movements had something eerie. She wasn’t really off rhythm but she still seemed to just miss it. Her movements also didn’t really fit with the music. As if she was hearing a distorted version of the song, she was dancing to instead of the one they heard. Tim tried to remember if she'd always danced like this. He couldn't recall.

Jon didn't move. He didn't leave either. Tim glared at him, "What do you think we're gonna kill you with our sick dance moves? Get that..."

"Hey!" Martin interrupted, his voice louder than necessary. "No talking, just dancing!"

"Just dancing? I can do that. Can you?" that question was posed to Jon, Tim's hand stretched out in an offer or maybe a challenge. Jon looked at him then down at the hand and the back up at his face again. 

Something settled in him and he took a step and laid his Hand in Tim's, almost gentle.

Carly was just finishing the first verse and when she sang "I wanna cut through the clouds" Tim was pulling Jon in with one swift motion. They assumed their positions, Tim leading with his hand on Jon's waist, like last time, Jon in his arms with a posture that was by the book.

Contrary to popular belief Jon could actually dance. He didn't do it much of course but he knew his steps and movements. Surprisingly in both ballroom dance as well as a more freestyle dance one would use in a Disco setting perhaps. Not that he visited either of those places frequently, but were he to, his dancing ability would not be the thing that outed him as an outsider. 

So Jon followed Tim's movements effortlessly, letting him guide them through the room. First Tim only assumed short forward and backward movements, but with every step that Jon followed he got more ambitious. 

Soon the two of them were spinning around the room. It was almost like last time, the somewhat blurry memory of a different song and a different atmosphere. 

This time Tim was far more aggressive. It seemed almost as if the two of them were fighting this well coordinated dance instead of dancing it.

Tim was twirling Jon to the sound of the chorus spiralling back into the second verse and Jon reacted with the most graceful pirouette both Martin and Tim had ever seen, falling effortlessly back into step with Tim. 

Carly sang "No more hesitations / This is on" and Tim attempted to dip Jon, but unlike last time, Jon was prepared. He followed Tim’s arm movements, while staying on his feet, bending backwards in a circular movement, doing a full on dirty dancing move. 

That almost threw Tim. It definitely threw Martin. Who was only still dancing because Tim would occasionally throw him a glare that told him he'd be in trouble if he didn't. He was watching the two more than he was dancing though.

When Jon stood straight again he was almost looking smug. Tim was going to have to up his game.

To the rising sound of the Chorus being reintroduced Tim took Jon by his hips and lifted him. Jon was small and not at all heavy so it was really rather easy getting him off the ground. It was only a small lift, he spun them around once and put Jon back on the ground. 

It was enough of a lift though to thoroughly put Jon off balance. He clawed his hands into Tim's shoulder for balance and yelped a cry that was drowned out by the music. His before so well put together demeanour fell together in pure panic. 

Tim was laughing far too hard by the time Jon had solid ground under his feet again. He kept on holding Jon, though they had both stopped dancing. Jon who was trying to recover his composure, had his hands still on Tim's shoulders and his head on Tim's chest, which was shaking with laughter.

"Tim you evil, evil man." Jon said but there was definitely humour in his voice. 

Tim swayed the both of them and Jon let him. 

Then Carly said "Take me to emotion" and Tim held Jon at an arm’s length, mischief gleaning in his eyes. Jon almost smiled. 

Tim was lip synching to Carly's words and started dancing again, letting go of Jon. This time a free dance, the single, expressive and terribly embarrassing dancing that is normally seen on a dance floor in a lunchroom. "Show me devotion" Tim mouthed and spread his arms. 

Jon quirked an eyebrow that almost smile still on his lips. And the Tim was just jumping around in the beat of the music swelling for the last chorus. He jumped through the room, around Martin and Jon and Sasha until the music faded out.

“See that wasn’t so bad, was it?” Martin said. Jon’s small smile disappeared behind a mask of non-emotion again. 

“I should get back to work.” He said. 

Tim’s eyes flashed hurt for a second before he too closed off, closing a curtain of anger around himself. He didn’t say anything though, just watched Jon leave the breakroom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you a lot for reading. 
> 
> The song is 'Cut To The Feeling' by Carly Rae Jepsen
> 
> Is this going to get increasingly rediculous, while just getting a bit sadder every time? Probably.
> 
> This is honestly so much fun to write, so I hope you enjoy redaing it as well.


	3. Season Three: Some Dancessembly Required

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Melanie needs proof that Jon will dance. 
> 
> The rest of the archive complies.

The break room was filled with almost too many people. It wasn't really set out for five people. The Archive had after all received some unscheduled additions to the staff. 

Daisy and Basira were squeezed together on the small sofa. Melanie was sitting on the table. And Tim was sitting on one of the chairs, in a way that suggested he'd never learned how one usually did such a thing. 

Martin was making tea. He was the only person who was even considering going back to work. It was late afternoon and even the people who hadn't decided to not work anymore, out of protest, weren't really keen on getting back to it.

Melanie was considering starting another assassination attempt on Elias, but then decided it was too late in the day to do that. She sighed heavy and over dramatically. 

"Would be nice to have a break from all this bullshit"

Tim didn't look up when he said "We could do a dance party" it was a joke, a dry one at that. And an insider that he didn't intent on explaining.

"Dance party?" Basira asked from the other side of the room.

"It's a thing we used to do back when... Uhm." Martin started explaining but trailed off.

"Back when things weren't fucked and we weren't trapped in a horror scape?" Tim suggested  
Martin didn't answer that. 

Instead Melanie asked: "What you two and Sasha in the break room throwing it down?"

"And Jon." Martin added. That got their attention.

"Jon joined your dance parties?" Dasy asked.

"Jon can dance?" Basira asked.

"I need to see that! We’ve got to have a dance party right now!" Melanie exclaimed. "Martin you get Jon and Tim you help me make space in here. We're gonna see Jon dance!"

Martin shot Tim a look but he just shrugged and got up. "Why the fuck not." he said.

Martin left to get Jon and Tim moved the table and chairs to the wall of the break room. 

Melanie scrolled through her phone to find the perfect song for a dance party. Her thumb stopped and her eyes lit up. She'd found it.

She pressed the screen and the sound of a piano filled the now far more spacy room. Tim met her eye.

"ABBA, really?" he asked. As light background vocals joined the Piano. Melanie grinned. 

Martin pushed the door to the break room open, convincing Jon had been far less of a hustle than he'd thought it would be.

He frowned "ABBA? Really?" he said.

"ABBA is a classic okay, stop criticizing me for my very good music taste!" Melanie said, glaring first at Tim and then at Martin who raised his hands apologetic.

Daisy stood up and said "I thought this was supposed to be a dance party?" She offered Basira her hand "May I?" she said. Basira smiled up at her and took her hand as Agnetha Fältskog started the first verse of the song. Daisy pulled her up and into a dancing stance that showed neither of them had ever stood in one before. They started swaying to the slow sounds of the music.

Melanie was entranced by their inability to keep with the rhythm of the song. She thought, moving back and forth slowly should not be something one could butcher. Somehow they did though. She now believed that there actually might be people who were just bad at dancing. 

The first 'The winner takes it all' took her back to the initial task though: laying out her dance moves in the break room. By the time the beat set in she was bouncing around the room, making dramatic gestures to the lyrics of the song.

Martin chuckled and stepped further into the room, joining her in dancing out a rendition of the meaning of the song. He'd had an ABBA phase when he'd been younger so, like Melanie, he knew all the words. They flailed their limbs in a danced that was as dramatic as the song called for.

Tim looked at Jon, who still stood in the doorway. He looked out of place, like he usually did these days, with his bandages and the bags under his eyes that seemed to grow every day. Tim sighed. He decided for the sake of the tradition to go over to him.

"Dance party truce?" he asked just loud enough to be heard only by Jon over the music and Melanie's and Martin's singing along to the song.

Jon looked up surprised. He had not expected this, even for the sake of the old times.  
He did not wait for a second invitation though, he took the hand offered to him.

It felt familiar to step into Tim's arms and start swaying. They did not deliver a show this time. They kept with the slow undertones carrying the song and quietly danced through the first chorus.

While Daisy lead Basira and herself through the song, somehow managing to be bad at swaying to a song. Melanie and Martin were taking their interpretive dancing to another level. 

Melanie was on her knees howling 'The judges will decide' Martin was standing oppsite her, his hand pressed against his forehead as if trying not to faint, trying his best to not giggle but actually sing the lyrics ‘The likes of me abide’. Melanie belted 'spectators of the show' and made an encompassing gesture to the room of dancing people before her. They were fully in their element, choreographing a contemporary dance.

The fourth verse started, slowing the song almost to a halt.

'I don't wanna talk' Agnetha Fältskog sang in her sad voice, and Jon met Tim's eyes. 

They weren't as hard and angry as they used to be, but they contained next to none of the flirty, fun attitude that used to be there. Tim in turn saw regret, mostly. It didn't make him as sick as it used to. There was a certain melancholic nostalgia in their connection. A friendship that had turned bitter. They could have been great, but they had missed their chance. Their fate was written. They knew it, if unconscious or not. Their story was coming to an end. At least they had gotten one last dance out of it.

The song surged up to the bridge before it would fade out, and like the singer, Melanie too put her all into the last belt of the song. "The winner takes it all!” She sang, her arms outstretched, like she dared the sky or the gods or the fears, whoever out there was bold enough, to take her on. “The game is on again!" she sang, pointing at the ceiling. And with a last "The winner takes it all" the song faded out.

Melanie stood there panting from her heart wrenching performance and once she had enough back to speak, she said: "This would have been far more fun if you wouldn't have all slow danced. I feel robbed of Jon's Disco moves."

Jon, now not in Tim's arms anymore replied "Maybe you should have picked Dancing Queen then"

Melanie's eyes sparkled and Jon immediately interrupted "No, this is a one song thing. I gotta get back to work."

"Only one song?" she complained but Jon was already out of the door.

"Maybe next time, you'll see some sick dance moves" Basira said and fell back on the sofa.

"Oh Martin delivered on that. The rest of you just didn't. If I wanted to see light swaying I'd just watch Jon stand up and try not to faint. Same effect." Melanie complained and settled on the table. "You could have at least twirled him a bit" She said to Tim.

"Maybe next time" Tim replied and sat down again as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thank you again for reading. I must say this might have been my fvourite chapter to write. 
> 
> For the song I need to say a couple of things: It is 'The winner takes it all' by ABBA, but the last corus (The one Melanie belts) is not actually in the original ABBA song. It's from the Mamma mia version. (Which is sort of sobby) I coudn't not include Meryl Streep's increadible last belt though, so just imagine it's one song. 
> 
> Also in case you were asking yourself who is Agnetha Fältskog, she's the blond woman from ABBA and she sings this song (I'm sure you had that part figured out though)
> 
> Anyway. I hope you enjoyed my ABBA chapter.


	4. Season Four: Sick Dance Moves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Archive crew take yet another dance break.
> 
> Melanie demands those dance moves she was promised.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter's song is 'Love You for a Long Time' by Maggie Rogers.
> 
> I'm putting the song at the beginning this time, because the lyrics don't come up until pretty late into the fic.

Jon sat in the break room. His head was swimming. He had finished a statement not too long ago, and he did not feel less hungry. The need for statements was almost synonymous with the physical craving of food. He held his head in his hands. He considered taking a nap, maybe sleep would make it less bad. He wasn’t sleeping much lately, though. He’d always been an insomniac, but it had gotten worse since he had woken from his coma. 

If he’d have anyone to make jokes with maybe he’d make one about not sleeping because he’d pre-slept for six months. 

Daisy was in the break room as well. Her presence comforted Jon. She did that a lot these days, the days since the buried, she just sat with other people. Avoided being alone, keeping quiet company. It stabilised her. 

Melanie came into the break room. “Oh a sad people gathering, how nice.” She said and started the kettle. 

The noise of boiling water reminded Jon of Martin, who was alone in an office, somewhere in this damned Institute. He tried not to think of it, tried not to Know of it. 

Melanie poured herself a coup of instant coffee, the gross cheap kind and sat down next to Jon. She watched him, head down, looking small and sad. She considered checking up on him about his recent ‘feeding’ habits, but decided against it.

“Wow you guys are great company. Real life of the party.” Melanie said. Jon looked up. His face was basically expressionless. He wasn’t good with portraying emotions. But the dark circles under his eyes emoted enough by themselves. 

“Shit, Jon you look like hell.” She almost laughed, but held it back.

“It’s the omniscience.” Basira said, who had just walked into the breakroom. That did get a chuckle out of Melanie. “What’s with the group gathering?” Basira asked while walking to the counter. She too turned on the kettle but used it for tea instead of instant coffee. 

“We’re bonding.” Daisy said, leaning back on the sofa. 

“Are we? Over what? Jon’s inability to take care of himself?” Melanie said.

“I’m glad to be of use.” Jon mumbled into his hands. 

“If Martin was here we could have an office dance party.” Basira joked. 

Melanie huffed in disapproval. “As if he’d give up his oh so important work for his sugar daddy for a bonding experience with his friends.” 

“He wouldn’t want to join.” Jon said, with a certainty that made it clear the eye had just dropped that information into his mind. 

Melanie made a face and said: “Don’t do that.” It was implied but Jon understood what she meant. Lowercase understood. 

“It’s not like I can help it.” He said. Melanie glared at him. 

“Okay how about instead of bullying each other as a group activity, we have that dance party?” Daisy said. Basira looked at her, eyebrows raised just the slightest. Not-hunt-Daisy kept surprising her. She was gentler than the woman she had known before, and funnier. And apparently she wanted to dance. Basira doubted that she’d be better at it than before though.

“Yea, Jon does ow me some sick moves from last time.” Melanie said. 

“I won’t promise anything.” Jon said. But once again, he didn’t oppose. 

“Does that mean you’ll join us Jon?” Daisy asked. 

“I don’t know why you’re all so surprised. I’ve been in more of these impromptu break room parties than any of you.” Jon said. 

“Oh apologies, dance party master.” Melanie said. Jon rolled his eyes. 

Daisy stood up. “Well, shall we see the master of the break room dance floor in action?” She said and took out her phone. She scrolled through Spotify for a moment and then put on a song.

A simple beat and light background vocals opened up the song. Melanie pulled a face. Daisy ignored her and started swaying and moving to the music. 

“How are we going to see sick dance moves from Jon if the song is so slow?” Melanie complained. 

“Stop complaining and start dancing. This is a great song and it’s good for dancing.” Daisy said over the words of the first verse. She had turned to Melanie but hadn’t stopped dancing. It looked like either Daisy-post-buried had become better at dancing or partnered slow dance was just not her strong suit, because right now she was doing pretty well. 

Melanie sighed but joined her in dancing on the break room floor.

Basira grinned as Daisy who was approaching her did a little shimmy dance that was a tad comical. Daisy pulled her into the open space where Melanie was already moving herself to the calm tunes of the music. 

Basira did a twirl under Daisy’s arm and then in turn spun Daisy around too. They danced along to the soft sounds, Basira closed her eyes and Daisy’s eyes landed on Jon, who was actually dancing. 

He was swaying slowly, arms wrapped around himself with his eyes unfocused, looking off into an indistinct distance or maybe a distant past. Maggie Rogers sang ‘I’m gonna love you for a long time’ and Daisy danced her way over to him. 

“Jon, you look far too sad! Come dance with us.” Jon looked up as she spoke. His eyes met hers and he looked very sad. She took his hands and pulled him to where Basira and Melanie were dancing. She walked backwards never stopping to shimmy and bop along to the music. 

Once they reached the centre of the room where the four of them built a kind of dance circle now, Daisy let go of Jon and danced like she meant it, putting her soul into the movements of her body. She mouthed the lyrics through a smile and let herself drift through the notes. 

Melanie on the other hand had a more aggressive approach. She looked a bit like she might want to get all that stored up anger out through this song. She was kicking and punching the air to the beat. But she would have probably not shied away from punching something more substantial than air if it might happen in front of her. She could still feel the bullet wound and the cut in her leg, even when they were healed up now and she danced through the feeling. And she could still feel the picture of a man dying in a fire behind her eyes and she danced through that too. She danced until there was only the song and the room and her limbs and her friends left. And then she kept dancing.

Basira was not much of a dancer. She wasn’t musically talented and had a lack of rhythm. She could appreciate music even if she didn’t understand it though. And she did dance a bit. For the sake of the dance party mostly. She swayed to the music, making small steps. She was also watching her friends dance. She thought they looked like they understood something in the music that she didn’t, but that was fine with her. Watching them was good enough. 

Jon was also dancing. He actually had missed dancing with his friends. He could almost feel Tim’s arms around him, guiding him through the dance. But he had stopped hugging himself and tried concentrating on the present people, dancing with devotion to the music. He was less entranced by it than his friends, but he kept up with them. He felt himself mimic their movements. No not mimic. It was like he Knew their steps and how to compliment them before they even did them. He was dancing with the eye as much as he was dancing with his friends. He was unsure of whether he liked this. 

Daisy opened her eyes and saw Melanie giving her all. “Hell yeah Melanie. Murdering the dance floor. Get it!” She half shouted half laughed. Melanie looked up and grinned. It was one of those mischievous smug grins. Then she got to the floor and started break dancing. 

She received gasps and excited shouts for her fast and skilled moves. They most definitely qualified as ‘sick’ dance moves. 

When she got up again she pointed to Daisy. “Show me what you got!” she said. Her eyes gleamed. 

Daisy laughed but complied. She made some skilled and some silly dance moves. Some of them suggesting she might have spent a bit too much time watching other people dance on tiktok. She finished her dance solo with a dab, which got her a good round of groans. She grinned and pointed to Jon. 

“Come on Sims, lay out those sick dance moves everyone keeps talking about.” She said. Jon rolled his eyes, but he complied. 

He did some very standard disco moves, naming all of them while doing so. Then he transitioned to even more silly ones. The bus driver, the grocery shopper and so forth. He finished by doing the robot but saying “I call this the stranger.” 

The other people in the room burst into laughter. Daisy shouted “Too soon.” And Melanie had to try really hard to keep on her feet. Basira smiled just a bit disapprovingly, but mostly amused. 

Dancing and laughing at the same time don’t go too well together, so while the song came to an end they were more laughing than dancing. 

“Wow those were dance moves alright.” Melanie said, wiping away a tear. 

“I hope they were satisfactorily sick.” Jon said. He was not laughing but a smile had settled on his face. He sat down again. 

“The sickest.” Melanie said. Still chuckling a bit.

“I think I needed that.” Daisy said and let herself fall onto the sofa. 

“I think we all did.” Melanie said. 

While the dance crew of the Magnus Institute settled back, catching their breaths, none of them noticed the fog that receded from the room, wrapping itself just a bit tighter around the figure that had once belonged in that room as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you a lot for reading.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this somewhat silly chapter.


	5. Season 5: The Last Dance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At last Jon and Martin get to dance together.

The world was horrifying. Nothing made sense and everything was scary. And the eye took it all in. Every little detail every shiver and every flinch. It hovered over it all and observed all this new world brought with it. 

Like the little cottage. It had once been in Scotland but that was not a place that existed anymore. For now it was the safe haven, as much as anything could be safe, for the on bringer of the apocalypse and his boyfriend. 

Martin sat in the tiny living room. There was not much to do during the apocalypse. He couldn’t go outside, not that he wanted to. There were only eldritch horrors out there. Most of the books in the cottage had morphed into something resembling Leitners more than light literature. Their phones still worked but there was no internet. The cottage didn’t have Wi-Fi and there probably were no radio towers left to provide the world with mobile data. At least not where they were, because they had no access to the internet. Martin also doubted that the end of the world would make the internet, an already arguably awful place, any better. So it might have been better that they couldn’t access it. But there’s only so much time Martin could spend playing the three mobile games he had on his phone. He had considered asking Jon if he had any, but he didn’t seem like the mobile games type. 

Jon came into the room. He stood in the doorway, looking at Martin who was sitting on the sofa and staring at the wall. 

“You look cheery.” He said. 

“Thought I’d adjust to the overall vibe of the world.” Martin said without taking his eyes of the wall. 

Jon hummed and watched Martin. Martin looked over to him after a while. He had his head leaned lightly to the side his gaze intently focused on Martin. 

“What?” Martin asked. 

“I just thought. You weren’t at the last dance party.” Jon said. Martin frowned at him. 

“Why are you thinking of the office dance parties.” 

“Well, I thought you-” 

“No actually don’t answer that.” Martin interrupted what would probably have been a very rambley explanation of his thought process. “Why are you bringing it up?” He asked instead. 

“Oh.” Jon said sheepish “I thought since you weren’t at the last one we could…” Jon gestured vaguely “Since there’s not much else to do here. We could make up for that.” 

Martin shrugged and tried really hard not to let show how cute Jon was when he was embarrassed. “Sure.” He said. As soon as he said that Jon’s face changed to something more playful. It wasn’t something Martin had seen on Jon a lot, if ever. He was still getting used to seeing these different sides of Jon. 

Jon pulled out his phone and tapped around on it. 

“Do you even have music on your phone?” Martin asked. “In the age of Spotify and such?” 

“And such what? Amazon music? YouTube Music? Nobody uses those. And yes. I have a couple of songs on here.” Jon said. Martin rolled his eyes at the teasing. 

“Did you actually buy them or did you just download them illegally of the internet?” He asked. He stood up to make his way over to Jon and get a look at his selection of music. 

“Of course I didn’t buy them. How deep do you think that uptight stick runs?” Jon said with a sceptic look at Martin. Turning his phone away just a bit, so Martin wouldn’t see what he was putting on.

“Not deep enough to prevent you from dancing apparently.” Martin said stopping his attempts to get to Jon and just waiting for what Jon would put on.

“Evidently.” Jon said and selected a song. It started quietly and swelled to a rhythmic sound.

Martin met Jon’s eyes. “Mr Blue sky? Really? Bit macabre, don’t you think?” He said demonstratively looking out at the horrifying sky outside, full of eyes and changing colours that would be a nightmare for anybody with epilepsy. 

Jon chuckled. “Fine, fine. I’ll pick something else.” He said. And the rhythmic, upbeat sounds of Mr. Blue Sky were replaced by slower keyboard sounds. 

“Better?” Jon said already dancing. As chords joined the music he was shimmying his way through the room. He put his phone on the sofa table. He then proceeded to dance in light steps to where Martin was standing. 

‘We get it on most every night.’ Jon mouthed along with the vocals. 

“Come on Martin.” He said and shimmied around Martin. 

“I’m really not that great at dancing.” Martin said, suddenly shy. 

“You never had a problem before.” Jon said, still dancing around Martin. 

“That was different.” He didn’t say ‘I wasn’t dancing with you’. He also didn’t say ‘it hadn’t been just the two of us’. 

Jon took Martins hand did a twirl under it and then let their arms stretch long between them in an attempt to get Martin to dance with him. Martin did do the movements of their arms with him but he still wasn’t moving.

“Different how?” Jon asked. 

“Tim was there.” Martin said because he couldn’t think of anything else. 

“Are you scared you’re not as good a dancer as Tim?” Jon asked. “He really wasn’t that great, just very confident. And I’m not that great a dancer either.” Jon gestured to himself obviously referring to his bouncy movements. Martin disagreed. He thought Jon looked very endearing dancing around him. 

“Well you’re definitely better than me.” Martin said. 

“Do your worst.” Jon said with a smile, a tad too fond to be challenging. 

Martin did a step towards Jon while the song went into its first chorus. ‘Dancing in the moonlight’ the music sounded around them and Martin immediately stepped exactly where Jon’s foot was currently situated. He only didn’t step on it because Jon jumped out of the way just in time. 

“Whoa, assassination attempt. I should have known it was you all this time.” Jon said through light laughter. Martin stood still again, mortified. 

“I’m kidding. I’m sorry Martin.” He walked back the few steps he had jumped away from Martin and stood in front of him, looking up at his face. Martin was doing his best not to look down at his boyfriend (He still had trouble believing that) and apparently his dance partner. 

“Martin.” Jon’s voice was soft and smooth and Martin did not have the willpower to avoid looking down. Jon was still doing little side to side steps and his eyes were all caring and loving and when he said: “Dance with me?” Martin was utterly defeated. So he took the hand offered to him and tried not to melt under the joy in Jon’s eyes. 

“Only if you don’t laugh at me.” Martin said. 

“I would never.” When Martin gave him a look he added “Okay, I promise I won’t laugh more than I already have.” 

Martin took a deep breath, ignored the fear and insecurity and started dancing. Only a little at first and then a bit more. Soon he was actually dancing right next to Jon who had not stopped since the song had started.

Jon was enjoying seeing Martin loosen up to the music right in front of him. Martin had his eyes closed but with every note it looked less like he was pinching them close and more like he was just enjoying the music. Jon felt the smile on his face widen with each of Martin’s movements.

When Martin did a little pirouette it took Jon so much by surprise, in a very delightful way, that he gasped a little laugh. 

Martin’s eyes shot open, the insecurity and fear returning immediately but when he saw Jon he could not find the mockery he was expecting. There was only fondness and adoration. 

Jon was immediately scurrying to fix the broken promise situation though. Rushing to Martin and rambling “I swear, I wasn’t laughing at you. I just- you were so great and I loved it. And I love you. I’m sorry-” Jon was cut off by Martin taking his face in his hands. 

“I know.” He said with the sweetest smile. Looking down at his small boyfriend who was just as new to this as he was. Well not the dancing but the relationship thing. He needed to remind himself of that sometimes. And because he could, he leaned down and kissed Jon. 

Jon melted into the kiss and slung his arms around Martin. 

When they separated Martin said “I love you too.” 

Jon responded with the cutest smile, almost a tad proud. He started swaying them to the sounds of the song. Martin actually followed his movements this time and they swayed with each other through the last repetitions of the chorus. As the song faded out Martin slowed to a halt but Jon pulled him close again and initiated their movements again as the next song started. 

“I thought this was a one song thing.” Martin said. 

“We’re not in the Archives. Safe house dance parties can be as long as we want them to be.” Jon said. He looked up at Martin. Their gaze met. Both barely knowing how they were lucky enough to end up here in the arms of the other. 

“Okay.” Martin said. And danced on with Jon in his arms. 

The two lovers danced together, while the eye watched them and everything else, and the apocalypse raged outside. In the little cottage, safety was possible, if for a limited time. This time they’d use to feel like they might just make it through this and out of this, together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading this chapter and this fanfiction. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed it. 
> 
> The songs in this one are "Mr. Blue Sky" by Electric Light Orchestra and "Dancing in the Moonlight" by Toploader. 
> 
> Again, I thank everyone who indulged me in this very silly idea and took time to read what I created from it. 
> 
> Hope you have a good one. Stay hydrated. Bye.


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